Friday, July 29, 2011

Surprise!

Friday night we set up the tent at a local art festival. We were dead tired after a long week but were glad for the opportunity to speak to people. As Dayna and Steve arrived they began to tell us what a difficult week they'd had. Diana walked in at 6 and began to hand out tracts. Person after person came and the conversations were great ones all around. A few minutes into the festival I looked up to see Dayna walking toward me with a woman in tow.

"Jenn, Angie would like to take the good person test!"

"Ok, great Angie. Would you consider yourself to be a good person?" I wanted to be direct.

"Well, yes I would." She answered.

Angie admitted to lying and stealing when she was young. I explained to her that taking God's name in vain is blasphemy. She looked shocked. When I asked her if God would find her guilty she said, "No, I think He'll let me into Heaven."

"Based on what Angie?" I asked her.

"Well, forgiveness?" She tentatively answered.

"Based on what Angie?" I pressed her.

"Well, I prayed the prayer and asked Jesus into my heart." She smiled.

"Do you know where the scripture is to support that Angie? Because I'm sure that you know that there is no 'sinner's prayer'. And I've also heard preachers tell people to 'ask Jesus into their hearts but where do they get that, because it's not there either."

"Angie I want you to think about something for a moment." I pointed to the sky, it was absolutely stunning looking as a huge storm approached. "Do you really think that the Creator of the universe needs your 'acceptance'? You see, the demons know Who Jesus is, they accept that. They will not be in Heaven. You see God wants all men everywhere to repent-turn from their sin- and follow Jesus. There must be a time when you transfer that trust that you have in yourself to Jesus. He said' I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Do you remember the story of Nicodemus? He was a very respected Jewish Pharisee who came to Jesus and basically said, 'Ok, we know you are from God'. Jesus said to him, 'You must be born again. Now I'm sure Nicodemus thought, 'huh?'. See, being Jewish he thought he was 'in'. But Jesus said to him, You must be born again, that which is of the flesh is flesh and that which is of the spirit is of the spirit. That's sort of where you stand right now. You recognize Who Jesus is but..."

"I'm not born again! I've never been born again!" she said with horror in her voice.

I waited to see what she would do next. She was quiet. "Well, Angie my hope and prayer is that you will be." I waited for her to speak.

"I want to be saved."

"Well, you can go someplace private and pray or you can pray right here." I offered.

"I'll pray right now." Angie prayed right in the middle of the crowd. She was not ashamed.

I asked her if she would mind me taking a picture with me. After I took it she looked at it and said, "Look at that pretty smile after I am saved!"

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.